Page:Chronicles of the Picts, chronicles of the Scots, and other early memorials of Scottish history.djvu/50

 xlii early period at which it was written, to be excluded from this collection; but the Editor has been obliged to print these extracts from Colgan's text, though it bears the marks of being extremely inaccurate.

11. —This is another instance of the prevalent fashion of writing history in the form of prophecy. It has been very incorrectly printed by Pinkerton from the Colbertine, and the correct text from that is here given. The Princeps Noricus, who had annexed to himself lands surrounded by the sea, can only refer to Magnus Barefoot, king of Norway, who conquered the Western Islands, and the period of twice three years and nine months, during which the land was without its king, probably refers to the interval between the termination of the reign of Malcolm the Third and the firm establishment of Edgar on the throne. The compilation of this prophecy is therefore attributed to the reign of the latter. The prophecy is referred in the poem itself to Gildas and to Merlin. There is an imperfect copy in the Royal Library, 9. , with which the text has been collated.

12. —This passage, containing a list of the kings of Scotland from Malcolm the Second to Malcolm the Third, is taken from the continuation of the "Synchronisms of Flann of Bute," before referred to. It is incorrect in so far as it supposes that there were two Duncans who suc-